Process of manufacturing diethyl-ether.



FFICE.

GEORGE H. BENJAMIN, OF NEW YORK, N. Y.

PROCESS OF MANUFACTURING DlETHYL-ETHER.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 662,585, dated November27, 1900.

Application filed January 3, 1899. nerial No. 700,906- (No specimens.)

To a whmn it may concern.-

Be it known that I, GEORGE H. BENJAMIN, a citizen of the United States,residing at New York city, county and State of New York, have invented anew and useful Process of Manufacturing Diethyl-Ether, of which 'thefollowing is a specification.

My invention relates to a process of manufactu ring diethyl-ether,(C H OO H and it consists, essentially, in subjecting hydrogen -ethyl sulfate(O H HSO to the action of heat and at the same timeintroducing into thehydrogen-ethyl sulfate the required quantity of ethylene (C H andhydrogen (H) and oxygen, (0.)

The object of my invention is to decrease the cost of producing purediethylether by bringing aboutachemical combination of the elementsnecessary to form diethyl-ether without employing alcohol or producingalcohol in the process. 7

Toy carry my invention into effect, I pro ceed as follows: To a definitequantity of hydrogen-ethyl sulfate (O I-I HSO contained in a suitablevessel I add the required quantity of ethylene (O H and the requiredquantity of hydrogen (H) and oxygen, (0.) The mixture is then heatedsufliciently to effect distillation. The distilled ether in the form ofgas may be condensed to a liquid form by any suitable condensingapparatus and the remaining sulfuric acid may be again used to formhydrogen-ethyl sulfate. The required quantity of the different elementsmay be readily calculated.

The reactions taking place in the process are indicated by the followingformula:

erably by electrolyzing water by passing a current of electricitythrough it, as by this means these elements are obtained in the requiredproportions,hydrogen (H and oxygen, (0,) and in a state or condition inwhich they are more active than if obtained by chemical means.

In practice I consider it preferable to col= lect the gases generated atthe respective poles and then discharge them separately into themixture. I take this course in order to avoid the possibility of formingan explosive mixture in the vessel.

Instead of forming the hydrogen and oxygen external to the mixture I mayadd Water to a mixture of hydrogen-ethyl sulfate and ethylene and thenelectrically decompose the water by passing an electric current throughthe mixture, in which case the hydrogen and oxygen will be set free in anascent condition.

I do not wish to limit myself to any special apparatus for carrying outmy improved process, and hence I have shown none. However, it will bewithin the knowledge of any chemist to arrange a suitable apparatus forcarrying the described process into elfect.

Having thus described my invention, I

'gen so formed, to the action of heat.

In testimony whereof I afix my signature in the presence of twowitnesses.

GEORGE H. BENJAMIN.

Witnesses:

J. E. PEARSON, E. U. PLATT.

